Means for adjusting horn-actions



M. v. HAWKINS. MEANS FOR ADJUSTING HORN ACTIONS. APPLICATION FILE-D MAR. 10, 1920. 1,367,386, Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

21 I 25 INVENTOR. 2o 22 I 2 W ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES MORRIS V. HAWKINS, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

MEANS FOR ADJUSTTNG HORN-ACTIONS Application filed March 16*, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Monnrs V. TTAWVKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Elkhart, county of Elkhart, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Means for Adjusting l-lorn- Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wind musical instruments and especially to horns, cornets, or the like, having pump valves.

The present method of horn or cornet valve action construction contemplates spring pressed pump valve, the spring tension whereof is not adjustable or capable of regulation. It is well known in this art that the tension of the valve springs varies although efforts have been made to make a valve spring of uniform tension, but without success.

It is important and very desirable that all the valvesprings of each horn or cornet have the same tension, for such a condition would greatly facilitate the ease of valve action.

The principal object of my invention is the production of means for adjusting or. regulating the tension of the pump valve spring in horns, cornets, or the like.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing a pump valve, spring, star and other members of a cornet, partially in section, to which my invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a view showing the spring tension screw and seat member; Fig. 3 discloses a modified form of the tension screw and spring seat; Fig. l is a, fragment in section showing a modification of the spring adjustment means; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the spring seat member disclosed in Fig. 4:; Fi 6 is a side elevation of the same member; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the spring seat base or carrier used in the modification shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same member; and Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like members throughout the several views on the drawing.

On the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the tubular valve or pump body provided with the usual valve ports 2, 2, and provided also with the tubular spring barrel 3 which may be of somewhat less diameter than the specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Serial no. 364,749.

pump body. As is well known in the art, the pump 1 operates reciprocally within the bore of a valve casing-not shownwhich is provided with passages adapted for registration with the ports 2, 2 of the pump. The numerals 4, 4 indicate a plurality of guide slots formed longitudinally in the wall of the spring barrel 3 and through which the arms 5, 5 of the valve star 6 project, said arms being adapted to engage or seat upon a ledge or shelf formed interiorly of the valve casingnot shownas is well known in the art, and under which arrangement the valve star arms 5, 5 are adapted for sliding engagement with the walls of the slots l, l when the pump lis reciprocally operated.

A coil spring 7 is arranged within the spring barrel 8 and carried by the star 6, said spring being seated upon the tension adjusting screw 8 which screw may have a head member 9 around which the sprin end may be disposed. The screw 8 may be provided with a stem portion 10 which is screw threaded within the bore of the hollow cylindrical valve stem 11, and may be provided also with the annular flange 12 upon which the spring 7 may seat, a transverse slot 13 being formed in the end of the stem 10 to receive a tool for effecting rotation of said screw. The valve stem 11 may be provided with the enlarged head 14 which may be screw threaded into the end of the spring barrel 15 and with which the tension screw flange 12 may cooperate, or even engage in the extreme position of the screw 8.

The upperor outer end of the hollow valve stem 11 may be closed by the finger tip 16 which has the stem 17 screw threaded within the bore of said stem.

Tn the modified form of the tension screw 8, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the cupped head 18 may be substituted for the head 9 of Fig. 2, the spring 7 being disposed within said cup.

Tn Fig. l of the drawing a fragment, or lower end, of a pump valve casing 19 is shown which form of structure is used in ny horns, wherein the valve spring 7 is disposed directly below the pump 1. In such a structure the casing 19 has its lower end closed by a cap 20 which may be in screw thread relation therewith at 21 and which may be centrally apertured at 22 to permit the introduction of a screw driver or tool. he numeral 23 indicates a hollow cylindrical nipple which may be somewhat smaller in diameter than the bore of the easing 19 and which may be rigidly fastened to the inner face of the casing cap 20 by soldering, welding, or otherwise. The exterior periphery of the nipple 10 may be screw threaded to engage the threads formed interiorly of the hollow cylindrical spring seat member 24 which is adjustabiy mounted on said nipple, which seat member may have the laterally projecting annular flange 25 upon which the spring 7 may seat. The spring seat 24 may have a head member 26 which may be provided with an aperture 27 adapted to receive a tool or screw driver for rotating said seat member upon vits mount 23, which aperture may be rectangular in formation, or otherwise suitably formed.

When itis desired to adjust the tension of the valve spring in the spring barrel 3 the fin er tip 16 is removed and the slot 13 en gaged bv a suitable screw driver, whereby rotation of the tension screw 8 may be effected in the desired direction and degree. The introduction of a suitable driver or tool through the cap opening 22 of the casing cap 20 likewise enables rotation of the spring seatmember 24 of the modified form shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing for spring tension regulation.

I claim:

1. In a wind musical instrument of the class described the combination with the pump valve and spring therefor, of means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means comprising a hollow valve stem carried by the valve, a spring seat member within the bore of said valve stem and upon which said spring is seated, a complementary spiral connection between said valve stem and said spring seat member; and means carried by the spring seat member to enable adjustment thereof through the valve stem bore from the exterior thereof.

2. In a wind musical instrument of the class described the combination with the pump valve and spring therefor, of means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means comprising a hollow valve stem carried by the valve, a spring seat member within the bore of said valve stem and adapted to serve as a seat for said spring, a com 'ilementary spiral connection between said valve stem and said spring scat member, a finger tip detachably mounted upon said valve stem, and means carried by the spring seat member to enable adjustment thereof through the valve stem bore from the exterior thereof after detachment of said finger tip from the valve stem.

3. In a wind musical instrument of the class described the combination with the pump valve and spring therefor, of means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means comprising a hollow valve stem carried by the valve, a spring seat member within the bore of said valve stem and upon which said spring is seated, and a complementary spiral connection between said valve stem and said spring seat member.

4:. In a wind musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a pump valve, the casing therefor, and the pump valve spring, of means for regulating the valve spring tension, said means comprising a casing cap, a tubular projection on said cap, a spring seat member by which said spring is carried, a complementary spiral connection between said seat member and said tubular cap projection, and means enabling access to said seat member from the casing exterior for the adjustment thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto allixed my signature this 12th day of February, 1920.

MORRIS V. HAWKINS. 

